Civilization VI Announced, Releasing in October

2K and Firaxis Games announced today that Sid Meier's Civilization VI is currently in development for PC... and it's releasing this year.

2K and Firaxis Games announced today that Sid Meier's Civilization VI is currently in development for PC. The game will be launching on October 21 (the same day as Battlefield 1), and brings with it promises of expansive empires, diplomacy, and "enhanced multiplayer" where you can "cooperate and compete with your friends in a wide variety of situations all designed to be easily completed in a single session."

Here's the full list of features promised:

EXPANSIVE EMPIRES:

See the marvels of your empire spread across the map like never before. Each city spans multiple tiles so you can custom build your cities to take full advantage of the local terrain.

ACTIVE RESEARCH:

Unlock boosts that speed your civilization's progress through history. To advance more quickly, use your units to actively explore, develop your environment, and discover new cultures.

DYNAMIC DIPLOMACY:

Interactions with other civilizations change over the course of the game, from primitive first interactions where conflict is a fact of life, to late game alliances and negotiations.

COMBINED ARMS:

Expanding on the "one unit per tile" design, support units can now be embedded with other units, like anti-tank support with infantry, or a warrior with settlers. Similar units can also be combined to form powerful "Corps" units.

ENHANCED MULTIPLAYER:

In addition to traditional multiplayer modes, cooperate and compete with your friends in a wide variety of situations all designed to be easily completed in a single session.

A CIV FOR ALL PLAYERS:

Civilization VI provides veteran players new ways to build and tune their civilization for the greatest chance of success. New tutorial systems introduce new players to the underlying concepts so they can easily get started.

"Sid Meier's Civilization games hold a reputation for defining the 4X gaming genre for the past 25 years," said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. "We can't think of a better way to celebrate the silver anniversary of our longest-running franchise than launching the eagerly anticipated Sid Meier's Civilization VI, which will provide the most detailed, beautiful and complete experience ever featured in a Civilization game."

"Sid Meier's Civilization VI builds on the firm foundation of the Civilization franchise, and we've added many exciting new elements," said Ed Beach, lead designer at Firaxis Games. "The visual presentation of the game is inspired by the maps and tools of the Age of Exploration, and we've made several key gameplay changes such as expansive cities and active research that makes Sid Meier's Civilization VI an entirely unique experience while remaining true to what makes the Civilization series so special."

The game will cost $59.99/?49.99/€59.99, and is available for pre-order on Windows PC now. The game will also include four post-launch DLC packs that will include new maps, scenarios, civilizations and leaders.